Cassiopeia Constellation on Top Astronomer Cassiopeia Please hover over any star to get more information Cassiopeia is a constellation in the northern hemisphere, first charted by the Greek astronomer Ptolemy in the 2nd century. It is taken to represent the queen Cassiopeia of the mythical kingdom Ethiopia. In Greek mythology, Cassiopeia offended the Nereids (sea nymphs) by boasting about being more beautiful than them. As punishment for her vanity, she had to sacrifice her daughter Andromeda to appease the sea monster Cetus sent by Poseidon. It is said that, once placed in the sky, Cassiopeia was condemned to circle the celestial pole forever, sometimes hanging upside down, as additional punishment. The constellation is quite easy to spot in the sky because five of its bright stars form a distinctive 'W' shape. The constellation Cassiopeia occupies an area of 598 square degrees and contains three stars with known planets. It can be seen at latitudes between +90° and -20° and is best visible at 9 p.m. during the month of November.

[1959] beta Cassiopeiae or Caph ("palm") is a yellow-white giant with a magnitude of 2.28, classified as a Delta Scuti type variable. It is twice the size of the Sun and 28 times brighter. [1878] alpha Cassiopeiae, Shedir or Shedar ("the breast") has a magnitude of 2.25 and is the second brightest star in the constellation. It is an orange giant more than 500 times brighter than the Sun. [1880] gamma Cassiopeiae is the central star of the constellation. It is an eruptive variable star. It does not have a traditional Latin or Arabic name, but the Chinesse call it Tsih ("the whip"). At maximum intensity (currently 2.15), the star outshines both alpha and beta Cassiopeiae. Gamma Cassiopeiae spins very rapidly and bulges along the equator, which causes it to lose mass. As a result, a disk forms around the star which is responsible for the variations in brightness and emissions.

[1881] delta Cassiopeiae, also known as Ksora or Ruchbah ("knee") is an eclipsing binary star about 99 light-years distant. It has an apparent visual magnitude that varies between 2.68 and 2.71. [1882] epsilon Cassiopeiae, also called Segin, is a blue-white giant about 442 light-years away from Earth. Its luminosity is 720 times that of the Sun. [1891] rho Cassiopeiae and V509 Cassiopeiae are among the most luminous stars visible to the naked eye in the galaxy. [1883] eta Cassiopeiae is a binary star consisting of a yellow dwarf similar to our Sun and an orange dwarf. Cassiopeia also has two notable Messier objects, both open star clusters. Messier 52 or NGC 7654 was discovered by Charles Messier in 1774 and can be seen with binoculars. In stronger telescopes, it appears as a rich, V-shaped cluster of faint stars with a bright yellow star on the edge.

Messier 103 or NGC 581 was the last Messier object to be catalogued by Charles Messier himself. At about 8,000 light-years away, it is one of the more remote open clusters to be catalogued. It contains between 40 and 50 stars, the brightest one of which is Struve 131 or HD 9311. The cluster is faint, but once found, it has the appearance of curving star chains streaming outward from the centre. Tycho's Star or CN 1572, observed as a supernova in 1572 and documented by the Danish nobleman and astronomer Tycho Brahe, is also located in Cassiopeia. The star named Tycho G is being studied as a possible companion to the star that created the supernova. The other supernova remnant in the constellation is Cassiopeia A, the strongest radio source outside our solar system that can be observed. The cloud of material left over from the supernova is now about 10 light-years across. Finally, the constellation contains an irregular galaxy, IC 10, first discovered by Lewis Swift in 1887.

It is somewhat difficult to study because, located near the Milky Way plane, it is obscured by interstellar matter. With an exceptionally high rate of star formation, however, IC 10 is known as the only starburst galaxy in the Local Group. Locate constellation Cassiopeia the Queen | Tonight | EarthSky Locate constellation Cassiopeia the Queen By Deborah Byrd in Tonight | February 17, 2017 Erick wrote: Do you have any information on Cassiopeia’s Chair? Erick, you’ve used the lovely old-fashioned name for this constellation. In the 1930s, the International Astronomical Union gave this constellation the official name of Cassiopeia the Queen. But sky watchers still see the chair, and speak of it. The official borders of the constellation Cassiopeia (and all 88 constellations) were drawn up by the International Astronomers Union in the 1930s. Read more For much of the Northern Hemisphere, Cassiopeia is out all night long every day of the year.

At present, Cassiopeia appears in the northwest at nightfall, and rather low in the north-northeast before dawn, as depicted above. Image credit: AlltheSky.com Cassiopeia was an Ethiopian queen in ancient Greek mythology. According to legend, she boasted she was more beautiful than the sea nymphs called the Nereids. Her boast angered Poseidon, god of the sea, who sent a sea monster (Cetus the Whale) to ravage the kingdom. To pacify the monster, Cassiopeia’s daughter, Princess Andromeda, was left tied to a rock by the sea. Cetus was about to devour her when Perseus the Hero happened by on Pegasus, the Flying Horse. Perseus rescued the princess, and all lived happily . . . and the gods were pleased, so all of these characters were elevated to the heavens as stars. Only Cassiopeia suffered an indignity. At nightfall, this constellation has more the shape of the letter M, and you might imagine the Queen reclining on her starry throne.

But, at other times of year or night – as in the wee hours between midnight and dawn in February and march – Cassiopeia’s Chair dips below the celestial pole. And then this constellation appears to us on Earth more like the letter W. It’s then that the Lady of the Chair, as she is sometimes called, is said to hang on for dear life. If Cassiopeia the Queen lets go, she will drop from the sky into the ocean below, where the Nereids must still be waiting. Back in stock! Order your 2016 EarthSky Lunar Calendar today! W-shaped constellation Cassiopeia on left side of photo, above mountains. Meteor to far left, above Cassiopeia. Photo taken on the morning of April 19, 2013, by John Bozzell of Las Cruces, NM. Thank you John! View larger. Bottom line: This post tells you how to find the constellation Cassiopeia the Queen on winter evenings, and it explains the mythology of this constellation.

15 Constellations Every Man Should Know (And How to Find Them) | The Art of Manliness 15 Constellations Every Man Should Know (And How to Find Them) “Silently, one by one, in the infinite meadows of heaven, Blossomed the lovely stars, the forget-me-nots of the angels.” ― Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Evangeline: A Tale of Acadie I was recently on a camping trip in the mountains of Colorado, and one of the highlights was definitely being able to lay on a picnic table and try to find constellations without the intrusive lights of my home in Denver. While I could easily pick out a few of the better known constellations, I was disappointed that I couldn’t point out more, and that I couldn’t remember a darn thing from elementary school about the myths behind the stars. My ancient forbearers knew the night sky like the back of their hand. The constellations oriented them in a literal sense – as vital navigation tools – but in a spiritual one as well, serving as vivid reminders of their mythologies and place in the universe. Still today, knowing the constellations can be a source of both satisfying knowledge and humbling awe.

So in this post, I’m going to give you a crash course in the Greek mythology of the most prominent constellations, as well as some tips for finding and identifying them. I use Greek mythology because it was Ptolemy in the 2nd century who identified and listed 48 constellations. This was the first written and scientific account of the constellations, and although his notes only covered the sky that he could see, it was used for centuries as the benchmark for astronomy. It should be noted that many of the constellations listed also have Babylonian, Egyptian, Roman mythologies, and more. What’s interesting is that while the specific characters in the stories may change, the rough outlines and shapes of the constellations remained fairly similar. The International Astronomical Union lists 88 constellations — a list that has been in use since 1922 and encompasses all the night sky around the world. I chose the 15 below based on a combination of size, visibility, importance of stars within them, ease of recognition, and place in folklore through history. How to Find Constellations in the Night Sky This is what a star map looks like (this is from Starmap ).

You orient it just like a map, and then look up to find those constellations! Using a star map will be your best bet for assisting in finding where to look for constellations, depending on your location and time of year. It’s different depending on where you live and on the seasons, so use something like AstroViewer that lets you enter your location and gives you a customized star map. Another good one is Starmap , which also has an iOS app, and you can download them in PDF and print them so you can take the maps outside with you. Something like Google Sky can also help you to practice identifying the shapes of the constellations. Other than a star map, all you need is a dark sky (as far away from cities as possible), and for extra visual aide, a pair of binoculars or a telescope. With the naked eye, you’ll see basic outlines, but with binoculars or a telescope you’ll see fainter stars and other features like nebulae and star clusters. When you’re out observing, you’ll want to generally orient yourself towards the North Star (directions on how to find the North Star are found at the bottom of the article).

While below I note a “best viewed” month for each constellation, many are visible for at least 6 months of the year – just not quite as vividly. The constellations below are the most famous and most visible to the naked eye in the Northern Hemisphere. Aquarius This drawing, as well as those below, is from Sidney Hall’s set of drawings called Urania’s Mirror. Published in 1824, the set contains 32 star chart cards depicting 79 constellations, many of which are no longer recognized or are considered sub-constellations. The illustrations are based on what’s viewable from Great Britain, making them fairly similar to what you’d see in the States. Latin for “water carrier” or “cup carrier” Best viewed in: October While one of the biggest, most famous, and oldest named constellations, Aquarius is faint and often hard to find/see. In Greek mythology, Aquarius represented Ganymede, a very handsome young man. Zeus recognized the lad’s good looks, and invited Ganymede to Mt. Olympus to be the cupbearer of the gods. For his service he was granted eternal youth, as well as a place in the night sky.

Despite its prominent position and large size, you can see that Aquarius doesn’t really have defining features, nor does it contain any bright stars. The protruding line to the right is Aquarius’s right arm, with the large downward shape being a combination of the water flowing down out of the vase and his right leg. While not the entire constellation, what’s drawn above is what you’re most likely to see in the night sky. You won’t see this one in the city; you’ll need a dark sky to find the cupbearer. Aquila Delphinus, on the left, is still a recognized constellation, but quite small and faint. Sagitta, the bow and arrow, is considered an ancient constellation. Latin for “eagle” Best viewed in: late summer, September Aquila was the eagle that in Greek mythology actually bore Ganymede (Aquarius) up to Mt. Olympus. The eagle was also the thunderbolt carrier for Zeus. This constellation lies in the Milky Way band, and its most prominent star is Altair, which is actually one of the closest naked eye stars to the earth. The top portion of Aquila forms a shallow inverted “V,” with Altair nearly the point.

This represents the head and wings of the eagle. A line then descends from Altair, which forms the body of the eagle. Look towards the southern sky in the late summer, near the Milky Way band, for Aquila. Aries Musca Borealis, the bee, is a discarded constellation. Latin for “ram” Best viewed in: December While many constellations have gone through various iterations of mythological stories, Aries has always been the ram. This constellation is one of 12 constellations that form the zodiac — the constellations that straddle the sun’s path across the sky (known in scienctific terms as the ecliptic). In ancient times, that gave the constellations of the zodiac special significance. In Greek mythology, Aries is the ram whose fleece became the Golden Fleece. The Golden Fleece is a symbol of kingship and authority, and plays a significant role in the tale of Jason and the Argonauts. Jason is sent to find the fleece in order to rightfully claim his throne as king, and with some help from Medea (his future wife), finds his prize.

It’s one of the oldest stories in antiquity, and was current in Homer’s time. Aries is formed by just 4 (sometimes 5) visible stars, which create a line from the ram’s head (the lowest point in the image above) and down its back. Hamal is the largest and most visible star, and is classified as an orange giant . Canis Major Lepus, the hare, while listed in Ptolemy’s original 48 constellations, does not represent any Greek myth. While not featured in this list, Lepus can be found right underneath Orion. Latin for “greater dog” Best viewed in: February Canis Major represents the famed Greek dog Laelaps. There are a few origin stories, but the common theme is that he was so fast he was elevated to the skies by Zeus. Laelaps is also considered to be one of Orion’s hunting dogs, trailing behind him in the night sky in pursuit of Taurus the bull. Canis Major is notable because it contains the brightest star in the night sky, Sirius. Tradition notes that the first appearance of Canis Major in the dawn sky comes in late summer, ushering in the dog days of the season.

In the night sky, it almost looks a stick figure, with Sirius at the head, and another bright star, Adhara, at its rear end. Cassiopeia No Latin meaning, it’s the name of a queen in Greek mythology Best viewed in: November Cassiopeia, in Greek mythology, was a vain queen who often boasted about her beauty. She was the mother of Princess Andromeda, and in contrast to other figures being placed in the sky in honor, Cassiopeia was forced to the heavenly realms as punishment. As the story goes, she boasted that her beauty (or her daughter’s, depending on the story) was greater than that of the sea nymphs. This was quite an offense, and she was banned to the sky for all to gawk at. With its distinctive “W” shape formed by five bright stars, Cassiopeia is one of the most easily recognizable constellations in the night sky come fall and early winter. And because of that, the vain queen is one of the most oft-mentioned in pop culture and one of the earliest constellations that young children come to recognize in the sky.

Cygnus (also known as the Northern Cross) Lacerta (the lizard) and Vulpecula (the fox) are faint constellations near Cygnus the swan and Lyra. Both weren’t classified as constellations until the 17th century. Latinized Greek for “swan” Best viewed in: September Multiple personas take on the form of the swan in Greek mythology. At one point Zeus morphed into a swan to seduce Leda, mother of both Gemini and Helen of Troy. Another tale says that Orpheus was murdered and then placed into the sky as a swan next to his lyre (the constellation Lyra, also in the drawing above). The constellation may also have gotten its name from the tale of Phaethon and Cycnus. Phaethon was the son of Helios (the sun god), and took his father’s sun chariot for a ride one day. Phaethon couldn’t control the reins, however, and Zeus had to shoot down the chariot with Phaethon in it, killing him.

Phaethon’s brother, Cycnus (now spelled Cygnus), spent many days grieving and collecting the bones, which so touched the gods that they turned him into a swan and gave him a place in the sky. The Northern Cross is really just an asterism (recognizable pattern of stars) within Cygnus the swan. Deneb, the swan’s tail (or top point of the cross), is one of the brightest stars in the night sky. You’ll find Cygnus within the Milky Way, which is why you’ll sometimes see the constellation referred to as the backbone of the galaxy. In the night sky, the goose is looking down with its wings spread out parallel to the horizon. Gemini Latin for “twins” Best viewed in: February Gemini represents the twins Castor and Pollux. While the twins’ mother was Leda, Castor’s father was the mortal king of Sparta, while Pollux’s father was King Zeus (He seduced Leda in the form of a swan, remember? These stories tend to all tie together!).

When Castor was killed, the immortal Pollux begged Zeus to give Castor immortality, which he did by placing the brothers in the night sky for all time. Castor and Pollux also happen to be the names of the brightest stars in the constellation, and represent the heads of the twins. Each star then has a line forming their bodies, giving the constellation a rough “U” shape. The twins sit next to Orion, making them fairly easy to find in winter. Leo Leo Minor is a recognized constellation, but is so small and faint that Ptolemy didn’t include it in his original list. To this day, Leo Major is solely regarded as “Leo.” Latin for “lion” Best viewed in: April Leo has been a great lion in the night sky across almost all mythological traditions. In Greek lore, Leo is the monstrous lion that was killed by Hercules as part of his twelve labors. The lion could not be killed by mortal weapons, as its fur was impervious to attack, and its claws sharper than any human sword. Eventually Hercules tracked him down and strangled the great beast, albeit losing a finger in the process. The large, orange “star” underneath Leo is actually the planet Jupiter.

Because Leo actually looks somewhat like its namesake, it is the easiest constellation in the zodiac to find. A distinctive backwards question mark forms the head and chest, then moves to the left to form a triangle and the lion’s rear end. Regulus is Leo’s brightest star, and sits in the bottom right of the constellation, representing the lion’s front right leg. Lyra Latin for “lyre” Best viewed in: August Lyra is associated with the myth of Orpheus the great musician (remember him from earlier?). Orpheus was given the harp by Apollo, and it’s said that his music was more beautiful than that of any mortal man. His music could soothe anger and bring joy to weary hearts. Wandering the land in depression after his wife died, he was killed and his lyre (harp) was thrown into a river. Zeus sent an eagle to retrieve the lyre, and it was then placed in the night sky. Lyra sort of forms a lopsided square with a tail to its brightest star, Vega, which is one of the brightest stars in the sky. It is small, and almost directly overhead in the summer months, but the bright Vega makes it fairly easy to find.

Orion The lion’s head being held by Orion is also sometimes visualized as a shield. Named for Orion, the mythological Greek hunter Best viewed in: January Orion is one of the largest and most recognizable of the constellations. It is viewable around the world, and has been mentioned by Homer, Virgil, and even the Bible, making it perhaps the most famous constellation. Orion was a massive, supernaturally gifted hunter who was the son of Poseidon. It was said he regularly hunted with Artemis (Goddess of the Hunt) on the island of Crete, and that he was killed either by her bow, or by the sting of the great scorpion who later became the constellation Scorpius. Orion’s belt of three stars is the easiest asterism to find, with Rigel (bottom right) and Betelgeuse (top left) being the brightest two individual stars. The two other corners form a rough quadrangle, with his head and bow also sometimes visible. Orion is also unique in that you can use him to find a variety of other constellations in the winter sky .

Pisces Latin for “fish” (plural) Best viewed in: November The two fish of the sky represent Aphrodite and her son Eros, who turned themselves into fish and tied themselves together with rope in order to escape Typhon, the largest and most vile monster in all of Greek mythology. It’s not likely you’ll find Pisces in the middle of a city, as none of its individual stars are really worth noting or particularly bright. It forms a large “V” with the right fish forming a small “O” on the end, and the left fish forming a small triangle on the end (the image above doesn’t connect the dots in the upper left to make it a triangle). Scorpius Scorpius is sometimes also known as just Scorpio. Latin for “scorpion” Best viewed in: July There are a variety of myths associated with the scorpion, almost all of them involving Orion the hunter. Orion once boasted that he could kill all the animals on the earth. He encountered the scorpion, and after a long, fierce fight, Orion was defeated. It was such a hard-fought battle that it caught the eye of Zeus, and the scorpion was raised to the night sky for all eternity.

With many bright stars, Scorpius is fairly easy to find in the night sky. Antares, the brightest star in the constellation, is said to be the heart of the scorpion. That will be the easiest star to locate, but is sometimes confused with Mars because of its red-orange coloring. To the right of the heart are 3-5 stars that form the head. To the left are a long line of stars that curve into a sideways or upside-down question mark. Taurus Latin for “bull” Best viewed in: January Taurus is a large and prominent fixture in the winter sky. As one of the oldest recognized constellations, it has mythologies dating back to the early Bronze Age. There are several Greek myths involving Taurus. Two of them include Zeus, who either disguised himself as a bull or disguised his mistress as a bull in multiple escapades of infidelity. Another myth has the bull being the 7th labor of Hercules after the beast wreaked havoc in the countryside. The constellation is fairly easy to find as its most recognizable asterism forms a very prominent “V,” which represent the head and horns of the bull. The brightest star in the constellation is Aldebaran, which forms the bull’s right eye.

Five stars, fairly close together to the naked eye, form an almost perfect small “V,” with the “V” extending up quite a ways to two more final stars that are the points of the horns. Ursa Major Latin for “larger bear” Best viewed in: April The Big Dipper is popularly thought of as a constellation itself, but is in fact an asterism within the constellation of Ursa Major. It is said to be the most universally recognized star pattern, partially because it’s always visible in the northern hemisphere. It has great significance in the mythologies of multiple cultures around the world. The Greek myth of Ursa Major also tells the story of Ursa Minor (below). Zeus was smitten for a young nymph named Callisto. Hera, Zeus’s wife, was jealous, and transformed Callisto into a bear. While in animal form, Callisto encountered her son Arcas. Being the man that he was, he was inclined to shoot the bear, but Zeus wouldn’t let that happen, and so turned Arcas into a bear as well, and placed mother (Ursa Major) and son (Ursa Minor) permanently in the night sky.

The seven stars of the Big Dipper are easily recognized and almost always visible. They form part of the backside and tail of the large bear. While the rest of the bear definitely takes the shape of its namesake, it’s not often visible in light polluted areas. The Big Dipper is more than just a pretty shape; the outer edge of its “bowl” will always lead you to the North Star, aiding in navigation for centuries past. Simply make a line with the two stars of the Big Dipper’s outer edge, extend that line up into the sky, and at about five times the distance between the two stars you started with, you’ll find the North Star. Ursa Minor The little bear sits almost enveloped by the huge Draco. While still a modern constellation, Draco’s size is overshadowed by the importance of Ursa Minor and the North Star. Latin for “smaller bear” Best viewed in: June Ursa Minor is famous for containing Polaris, the North Star. Many people erroneously think that the North Star is directly over their heads, but that’s only true at the North Pole. For most people in the Northern Hemisphere, it will be dipped into the night sky.

You can see the Big Dipper sitting prominently below Ursa Minor. This also gives a great visualization of how to use the Big Dipper to find the North Star. Ursa Minor is better known as the Little Dipper. It’s visualized as a baby bear, with an unusually long tail. It can be distinguished from the Big Dipper not only by size, but by the emphasized curvature of the tail. When you’ve found the North Star at the end of the bear’s tail using the Big Dipper, it’s then easy to identify the rest of the constellation. Night sky images and outlines are from allthesky.com . Last updated: July 28, 2016 Cassiopeia Constellation: Facts, Myth, Star Map, Major Stars, Deep Sky Objects | Constellation Guide Constellation Guide Constellations: A Guide to the Night Sky Cassiopeia Constellation Cassiopeia constellation is located in the northern sky. It was named after Cassiopeia, the vain and boastful queen in Greek mythology. The constellation was first catalogued by the Greek astronomer Ptolemy in the 2nd century, along with other constellations in the Perseus family (except Lacerta).

Cassiopeia is easily recognizable in the sky because of its distinctive W shape. The constellation contains several notable deep sky objects, among them the open clusters Messier 52 and Messier 103 , the Heart Nebula and the Soul Nebula , the supernova remnant Cassiopeia A , the star-forming cloud popularly known as the Pacman Nebula, and the White Rose Cluster. FACTS, LOCATION & MAP Cassiopeia Constellation Map, by IAU and Sky&Telescope magazine Cassiopeia is the 25th largest constellation in the night sky, occupying an area of 598 square degrees. It lies in the first quadrant of the northern hemisphere (NQ1) and can be seen at latitudes between +90° and -20°. The neighboring constellations are Andromeda , Camelopardalis , Cepheus , Lacerta , and Perseus . Cassiopeia has three stars with known planets and contains two Messier objects: M103 (NGC 581) and M52 (NGC 7654).

The brightest star in the constellation is Schedar, Alpha Cassiopeiae. The Perseid meteor shower is associated with the constellation Cassiopeia. Cassiopeia belongs to the Perseus family of constellations, along with Andromeda , Auriga , Cepheus , Cetus , Lacerta , Pegasus , Perseus , and Triangulum . MYTH In mythology, Cassiopeia was the wife of King Cepheus (represented by the neighbouring constellation Cepheus in the sky) of Ethiopia. Once, she boasted that she was more beautiful than the Nereids. The Nereids were the 50 sea nymphs fathered by the Titan Nereus. They were enraged by Cassiopeia’s comments and appealed to Poseidon to punish Cassiopeia for her boastfulness. Poseidon was married to one of the nymphs, Amphitrite. The sea god obliged and sent Cetus, a sea monster represented by the constellation Cetus (the Whale) , located in the same region of the sky, to ravage the coast of Cepheus’ kingdom.

Cepheus turned to an oracle for help and the oracle told him that, in order to appease Poseidon, he and Cassiopeia had to sacrifice their daughter Andromeda to the sea monster. Reluctantly, they did so, leaving Andromeda chained to a rock for the monster to find. However, she was saved in the last minute by the Greek hero Perseus, who happened to be passing by, saw Andromeda and rescued her from the monster. Perseus and Andromeda were later married. At the wedding, one of her former suitors, named Phineus, appeared and claimed that he was the only one who had the right to marry Andromeda. There was a fight and Perseus, desperately outnumbered, used the head of Medusa, the monster he had recently slain, to defeat his opponents. One look at Medusa’s head turned them all into stone. In the process, however, the king and queen were also killed because they did not look away from the monster’s head in time. It was Poseidon who placed Cassiopeia and Cepheus in the sky.

Cassiopeia, the myth goes, was condemned to circle the celestial pole forever, and spends half the year upside down in the sky as punishment for her vanity. She is usually depicted on her throne, still combing her hair. MAJOR STARS IN CASSIOPEIA Cassiopeia is famous for its distinctive W shape, an asterism formed by five bright stars in the constellation. The stars, from left to right, are Epsilon, Delta, Gamma, Alpha and Beta Cassiopeiae. Schedar (Shedir) – α Cassiopeiae (Alpha Cassiopeiae) Schedar (sometimes Shedir) is an orange giant of the spectral type K0IIIa, approximately 228 light years distant. It is a suspected variable star. Its apparent magnitude can be either slightly brighter or dimmer than Caph (Alpha Cassiopeiae), depending on which photometric system is used. It is in the range from 2.20 to 2.23 magnitudes. Alpha Cassiopeiae is located at the bottom right of the W asterism.

The star’s traditional name, Schedar, is derived from the Arabic şadr, which means “breast.” The name refers to the star’s position, marking Cassiopeia’s heart. Caph – β Cassiopeiae (Beta Cassiopeiae) Beta Cassiopeiae, or Caph, is either a subgiant or giant star belonging to the spectral type F2 III-IV, approximately 54.5 light years distant. It is classified as a Delta Scuti type variable star. The only Delta Scuti variable brighter than Caph is Altair , the brightest star in the constellation Aquila and 12th brightest star in the sky. Delta Scuti variables, which are also known as Dwarf Cepheids, Al Velae or Al Velorum stars, typically show fluctuations in luminosity due to both radial and non-radial pulsations on their surface. They are usually giants or main sequence stars of spectral types ranging between A0 and F5. Caph has a mean apparent magnitude of 2.27. Its traditional name is derived from the Arabic kaf, which means “palm” (i.e.

palm of the Pleiades or reaching from the Pleiades, the famous cluster in Taurus constellation ). The star’s other traditional names are al-Sanam al-Nakah and al-Kaff al-Khadib. Together with the stars Alpheratz in Andromeda and Algenib in Pegasus , Caph was known as one of the Three Guides; three bright stars marking the equinoctial colure, the imaginary line from Caph to Alpheratz to the celestial equator, at a point where the Sun crosses it at each spring and autumn equinox. The yellow-white star is 28 times brighter than the Sun and four times the size. It is currently in the process of cooling down and will eventually become a red giant. γ Cassiopeiae (Gamma Cassiopeiae) Gamma Cassiopeiae is the central star in the W shape and currently the brightest star in the constellation. It is a blue star (spectral type B0.5 IVe), about 610 light years distant, with a luminosity 40,000 times that of the Sun, and having about 15 solar masses.

Gamma Cassiopeiae is an eruptive variable star that serves as a prototype of a class of stars, the Gamma Cassiopeiae variable stars. It exhibits irregular variations in brightness, which ranges between 2.20 magnitudes and 3.40 magnitudes. The star rotates very rapidly and bulges outward along the equator. As a result of its fast spinning, a ‘decretion’ disk of lost mass and material forms around the star, which causes the fluctuations in luminosity. The Chinese call the star Tsih, which means “the whip.” It also has the nickname Navi, which it got from the American astronaut Virgil Ivan Grissom – Navi is Ivan spelled backwards. The star was used as a navigational reference point by astronauts. Gamma Cassiopeiae is a spectroscopic binary star, an optical double with a magnitude 11 companion about two arc seconds away, one with a mass comparable to that of the Sun. The orbital period is roughly 204 days. The star is a known X-ray source. The amount of X-ray radiation that it emits is 10 times higher than that of other B or Be class stars.

Gamma Cassiopeiae was the first Be star known (e stands for emission). Ruchbah – δ Cassiopeiae (Delta Cassiopeiae) Delta Cassiopeiae is an eclipsing binary star with a period of 460 days. It belongs to the spectral class A5. It is about 99 light years distant and has an apparent magnitude that varies between 2.68 and 2.74. It is the fourth brightest star in the constellation. The star’s traditional name, Ruchbah, comes from the Arabic rukbah, which means “the knee”. Sometimes the star is also known as Ksora. Segin – ε Cassiopeiae (Epsilon Cassiopeiae) Epsilon Cassiopeiae is a bright blue-white B-class giant, approximately 440 light years distant. It is 2,500 times more luminous than the Sun. It has an apparent visual magnitude of 3.34. The star’s estimated age is 65 million years and it is at the end of the hydrogen-fusing cycle. Segin is notable for showing extremely weak spectral absorptions of helium.

Achird – η Cassiopeiae (Eta Cassiopeiae) Eta Cassiopeiae is the nearest star in Cassiopeia to our solar system, lying only 19.4 light years away. It is similar to the Sun; a yellow-white G-class hydrogen fusing dwarf, slightly cooler than the Sun with a surface temperature of 5730 Kelvin. It has an apparent magnitude of 3.45. Achird has a dimmer companion, an orange K-class dwarf with an apparent magnitude of 7.51, located 11 arc seconds away. The two stars are classified as an RS Canum Venaticorum type variable star; they form a close binary star and have active chromospheres that cause large stellar spots which, in turn, cause variations in the star system’s luminosity. The system’s brightness varies by 0.05 magnitudes. ζ Cassiopeiae (Zeta Cassiopeiae) Zeta Cassiopeiae is a blue-white subgiant (spectral type B2IV), approximately 600 light years distant. It has an apparent visual magnitude of 3.67.

Zeta Cassiopeiae is classified as a SPB variable star (Slow Pulsating B star), the first one of its kind discovered to have a magnetic field. The star’s rotation speed is 56 km/s and its rotation period is 5.37 days. ρ Cassiopeiae (Rho Cassiopeiae) Rho Cassiopeiae belongs to a very rare class of stars, the yellow hypergiants, only seven of which are currently known in the Milky Way Galaxy. The star belongs to the spectral class G2Ia0e. It is approximately 11,650 light years distant and one of the most luminous stars known. In spite of the distance, Rho Cassiopeiae is visible to the naked eye. Rho Cassiopeiae is 550,000 times brighter than the Sun, with an absolute magnitude of -7.5. Its apparent visual magnitude varies from 4.1 to 6.2. The star is classified as a semiregular variable. It undergoes enormous outbursts roughly every 50 years, resulting in change in luminosity.

In 2000-2001, the star ejected about 10,000 Earth masses in one of these outbursts. Rho Cassiopeiae is suspected to already have exploded as a supernova because it has used up most of its nuclear fuel, but if this is the case, the light from the explosion has yet to reach us. V509 Cassiopeiae V509 Cassiopeiae is another G-type hypergiant, at least 7,800 light years distant. The yellow-white star is classified as a semiregular variable. Its luminosity varies between magnitudes 4.75 and 5.5. DEEP SKY OBJECTS IN CASSIOPEIA Messier 52 (NGC 7654) – Atlas Image mosaic courtesy of 2MASS, UMass, IPAC-Caltech, NASA, NSF. Messier 52 (NGC 7654) Messier 52 is an open cluster, approximately 5,000 light years distant. It has an apparent magnitude of 5.0 and can be seen with binoculars.

The age of the cluster is estimated to be around 35 million years. It is 13 arc minutes (19 light years) in diameter. The cluster was discovered by Charles Messier in 1774. The brightest stars in it are two yellow giants of magnitude 7.77 and 8.22. Messier 103 (NGC 581) Messier 103 (NGC 581) – Atlas Image mosaic courtesy of 2MASS, UMass, IPAC-Caltech, NASA, NSF Messier 103 is another open cluster in Cassiopeia. It lies approximately 10,000 light years from Earth and contains 172 stars. The age of the cluster is estimated to be about 25 million years. The cluster was discovered by the French astronomer Pierre Méchain in 1781. It was the last object Charles Messier entered into his catalogue. Cassiopeia A Cassiopeia A is a supernova remnant. Cassiopeia A, photo: Oliver Krause, George H. Rieke, Emeric Le Floch, Karl D.

Gordon, Eiichi Egami, Erick Young, John Bieging, Joannah L. Hinz (Steward Observatory), Stephan M. Birkmann, Sascha P. Quanz (Max Planck Institut fur Astronomie), John P. Hughes (Rutgers University), Dean C. Hines (Space Science Institute) It is notable for being the brightest astronomical radio source in the sky. It is the strongest radio source in the sky outside the solar system and was one of the first radio sources to be discovered, in 1947. The cloud of material ejected in the explosion is about 10 light years across and is expanding at the rate of 4,000-6,000 km/s. It has a temperature of about 50 million degrees Fahrenheit. The explosion occurred at an approximate distance of 11,000 years from Earth and the first light of the supernova is believed to have reached us about 300 years ago.

The Pacman Nebula – NGC 281 The Pacman Nebula (NGC 281), photo: X-ray: NASA, CXC, CfA, S.Wolk et al; Optical: NSF, AURA, WIYN, Univ. of Alaska, T.A.Rector NGC 281 is an H II region, a large gas cloud in which star formation has recently taken place. It contains a large amount of ionised atomic hydrogen (H II) which is lit by the ultraviolet light of young, hot, blue stars. It was nicknamed the Pacman Nebula because of its resemblance to the character from the popular video game. It is 9,500 light years from Earth. It was discovered by American astronomer E.E. Barnard in 1883. The White Rose Cluster (NGC 7789) NGC 7789 is an open star cluster, approximately 7,600 light years distant. It has an apparent magnitude of 6.7. It was discovered by the British astronomer Caroline Herschel in 1783.

The cluster is also known as Caroline’s Rose or The White Rose because the loops of stars in it resemble the pattern of rose petals. NGC 185 (Caldwell 18) NGC 185 is a dwarf spheroidal galaxy, approximately 2.08 million light years from Earth. It is a satellite galaxy of the Andromeda Galaxy ( Messier 31 ) and forms a physical pair with NGC 185. The galaxy is classified as a type 2 Seyfert galaxy. It has an active galactic nucleus (AGN). The galaxy was discovered by the English astronomer John Herschel (Caroline Herschel’s brother) in 1787 and first photographed by the American astronomer James Edward Keeler between 1898 and 1900. He photographed the galaxy using the Crossley telescope (36-inch/910mm), the reflecting telescope located at Lick Observatory in California. Atypical for a dwarf elliptical galaxy, NGC 185 contains young clusters of stars and shows evidence of star formation that occurred in the cluster until recently.

NGC 147 (Caldwell 17) NGC 147 is another dwarf spheroidal galaxy in Cassiopeia, approximately 2.53 million light years distant. Like NGC 185, it is a satellite galaxy of the Andromeda Galaxy (Messier 31) and a member of the Local Group of galaxies. It was originally discovered by John Herschel in 1829. It has an apparent visual magnitude of 10.5. Astronomy

Question: In which constellation do the five main stars form a 'W' shape?
Answer: CASSIOPEIA